The present invention relates to a novel protein useful as a selectable marker and corresponding polynucleotides for insertion of genes and other genetic material into a variety of organisms, including plants.
Selectable markers are genes that impart a characteristic to an organism to see the results of a biochemical or chemical assay or test. Such markers are known as labels. One of the basic principles of recombinant DNA technology is the use of biological markers to identify cells carrying recombinant DNA molecules. In bacteria, these are commonly drug resistance genes. In bacteria, drug resistance is used to select bacteria that have taken up cloned DNA from the much larger population of bacteria that have not. For example, a commonly used marker in mammalian cells is a bacterial drug-resistance gene that confers resistance to a neomycin-related drug, G418, which kills mammalian cells by blocking protein synthesis. The marker gene encodes an enzyme that destroys the drug. Although numerous markers exist for bacterial and mammalian cells, fewer gene markers are available for organisms such as plants. It would be desirable to provide a gene marker that could enable one to differentiate between plants that carry particular recombinant DNA molecules from plant that do not.
In one embodiment, the present invention is directed towards a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1. The nucleic acid sequence may be selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOS. 2, 3 and 4.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed toward a DNA construct comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed towards a plasmid comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed towards a eukaryotic cell comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1. The eukaryotic cell can be a plant cell, such as a dicot plant cell or a monocot plant cell.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed toward a plant or plant part having a eukaryotic cell comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed toward seed that can produce a plant comprising a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1. The present invention is also directed towards seed from the plant of this embodiment.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed toward a method of conferring resistance to the antibiotic nourseothricin, comprising providing to an organism t a nucleic acid sequence comprising a polynucleotide encoding a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed toward a protein either comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1. The protein can be in an isolated or non-isolated form.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed towards a eukaryotic cell that can express a protein either comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention a plant or plant part having a eukaryotic cell that can express a protein either comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In another embodiment, the present invention is directed towards seed that can produce a plant comprising a protein either comprising or consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID. NO. 1.
In any of the above embodiments, the eukaryotic cells, plant or plant part can be from an organism such as a microorganism or a plant, such as a dicot plant, e.g. Arabidopsis thaliana or a monocot plant, e.g. Oryza sativa. 